Self-sealing valve



Feb. 5, 1935. N. STATHAM SELF SEALING VALVE Filed Sept. 8, 1932 A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1935 r i I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-SEALING VALVE Noel Statham, Irvlngton-on-the-Hudson, N. Y.

Application September 8, 1932, Serial No. 632,156 7 Claims. (Cl. 221-60) This invention relates to a self-sealing valve positioned and which may extend approximately and more particularly to an improved constructo the upper surface of the diaphragm. Outside tion and method for producing an automatic 010- of this collar 16 the neck 12 is provided with a sure for collapsible tubes, such as are commonly projecting lip 17 adapted to be folded over the used as containers for dental cream, shaving shoulder 16 and the outer edge of the diaphragm 5 soap, library paste, glue, etc. 14, to retain the latter against the ring 13.

In'the production of self-sealing valves of the In producing my improved valve, the neck 12 type described in my copending application Seis formed as described above and as illustrated rial No. 483,820, filed September 23, 1930, it is particularly in Figure The as d ap ra m l0 extremely important that the number of opera- 14, which may be of rubber or other suitabe resill0 tions in constructing and assembling the tube ient material, is placed upon the ring 13 and and valve be reduced to a minimum. It is an obwithin the shoulder 16, as illustrated in Figure 3. ject of this invention to provide an improved A die 18 is then inserted from the open, lower end valve construction and a method for economiof the tube in the position shown in Figure 3 and cally producing the same. A further object is to a die 19, such as that illustrated in Figure 4 and 15 provide avalve having an elastic diaphragm with having an annular slanting surface and an an adequate seat for the diaphragm and with imannular curved surface 21, is pressed down upon proved means for retaining the diaphragm upon the end of the neck 12. The surfaces 20 and 21 the seat. Other objects will become apparent, force the projecting lip 1'7 inwardly and downincluding the provision of means for controlling wardly to the position illustrated in Figures 6 and 20 the size and shape of the stream extruded from '7. Other methods may of Course, be used the tube and means for preventing accidental exturning in the lip 17. For example, this may be trusion during shipping and handling of the tube. accomplished by spinning the metal over during In describing the invention, reference will be the rapid turning of the collapsible tube on a .15 made to the drawing in which Figure 1 is a fracmandrel, by pressing against the upper edge of tional plan view of the top portion of an ordinary the lip 1'7 with a suitable tool. If desired, the collapsible tube, showing the improved valve conlip 17 may be slit to provide discontinuous projecstruction before insertion of the elastic diations adapted to retain the diaphragm rather phragm. Figure 2 is a fractional section of the than the continuous projection illustrated here- 0 upper portion of the tube, taken on a center line in. Also, instead of being round, as illustrated of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure and described, the neck may be angular or of 2 with the elastic diaphragm and a forming die some other desired shape. in place. Figure 4 is an outer forming die adapt- In one form of the invention, illustrated in ed to turn in the edge of the tube. Figure 5 is Figure 8, the ring 13a may extend downwardly a view similar to Figure 3 with the edge of the as well as inwardly in order to provide slanting 85 tube illustrated in dotted lines as partially surfaces for the diaphragm 14. With this conturned-in. Figures 6 and 7 are views, similar to 'struction, when the lip 1'7 is turned inwardly, Figures 2 and 1, respectively, of the completed the diaphragm 14 will be retained in such a posivalve. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 tion that the outer surface is concave and the showing a modified form of the valve. Figures 9 inner surface is convex. With the diaphragm 40 and 10 are bottom plan and sectional views, renormally held in such a position, a greater spectively, of a sealing cap adapted to fit over amount of force will be required to bring about the end of the improved valve construction. the initial extrusion and the valve will give In the several figures, the numeral 11 desiggreater resistance to accidental discharge of the nates the body portion of an ordinary collapsible contents of the tube. Also, with this construc- 45 tube which may be made of tin, lead, aluminum tion, it may be possible to use a thinner or less or other suitable metal or material and which has resilient diaphragm in view of the added rea narrow neck 12 through which the plastic masistance due to the position in which the diaterial is ejected. In my improved construction, phragm is retained. This arrangement of the 00 the neck 12 is formed with an inwardly projectdiaphragm is not claimed broadly herein, since ing angular ring 13 adapted to serve as a seat for it is claimed in my copending application Serial an elastic diaphragm 14, having a slit 15 through No. 483,820.

which the plastic material may be extruded. The shoulder 16 provides a wall of increased The neck 12 is also provided with an annular thickness opposite the diaphragm, as compared shoulder 16 within which the diaphragm 14 is with the lip 17, and serves an important function 55 in that it prevents deformation or crowding of the rubber diaphragm when the upper edge of the neck is termed in to clamp the diaphragm in place; The ring 13 provides a large bearing surface for the valve or rubber disc and also resists any inward movement of the diaphragm resulting from any negative pressure within the tube when the pressure required to extrude the contents is released.

As illustrated in Figure '7; the slit 15 in the diaphragm 1e islonger than the diameter of the opening in the midle of the ring 13. With this arrangement, the slit 15 will handle the material which comes through theopening beneath it and the contents of the tube may be extruded in a smooth ribbon.

In order to seal the valveduring shipping before it is ready for use, a cap, ,such as that illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, may be positioned over the outer end of the neck 12. 'I'his cap may be stamped to provide a depressed portion 22, adapted to fit within the space above the diaphragm 14 and in contact therewith, to'

prevent accidental outward movement of the diaphragm.. This cap may also have projections 23, formed by cutting the edge of the cap and bending the metal back, to provide convenient means for gripping the cap in removing it from the neck of the tube. This cap or seal is adapted to fit tightly over the end of the neck 12 and to grip the latter sufllciently to be retained in position.

If preferred, the temporary seal for use in transporting the tube may be in the form or a paper, cloth, or cellophane sticker adapted to fit over the end of the tube or the tube may be dipped in a sealing material, such as a collodi-on solution or a colored quick drying enamel. To facilitate the removal of such a seal, a piece of linen or of other material may be applied to the outer end of the tube before it is dipped into the sealing material, leaving a projecting end of the material which may be grasped in removing the seal.

After the diaphragm is clamped into position as described above, the tube may be filled with the plastic material and the bottom'portion of the tube may be folded to seal the same, in the usual manner. The cap or seal may be removed and a pressure applied to the outside of the collapsible tube near'itsbottom. The pressure of the material against the diaphragm 14 forces it outwardly and opens the slit 15 to permit the escape of a ribbon of the plastic material. The shape and size of the diaphragm, the slit and the aperture within the ring 13 may, ,of course, be

varied to give the desired size and shape of ribbon. When the pressure is released, the

resiiiency of the diaphragm will return it its normal position and thereby close the slit 15 and retain the plastic material within the container. In this way the contents of the container will be sealed and may be kept for iong periods of'time without danger oi drying or evaporation. If desired, the end of the tube may be washed by inserting the valve in a stream -of water, since the diaphragm will seal the tube and protect the contents of the tube from the water.

Many modifications of the above invention may be used and it is not intended to hereby limit it to the particular embodiments shown or .described. The terms used in describing the inthe outside of said diaphragm and a lip posi- .vention are used in their descriptive sense and Y tioned outside of said shoulder and adapted to be folded over to retain the diaphragm upon said seat.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 iii which the seat extends inwardly from the inner surface of the neck to give a relatively large surface of contact beneath the diaphragm.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the seat comprises a ring extending inwardly .and providing an opening of smaller diameter than the length of the slit in the diaphragm.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the seat is shaped so as to hold the diaphragm in such a position that it is concave on its outer surface.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the shoulder extends substantially as high as the top of the diaphragm.

7. A self-sealing valve comprising a resilient diaphragm, a container, an outlet for the. container having a constricted neck, a flange integral with and extending inwardly from the walls of said neck, forming a seat for the diaphragm, and a projection from said neck adapted to be folded inwardly to retain the diaphragm against thev seat.

NOEL STA'II-IAZ-J. 

